This is a Joke, Right!?!

"This can't be seriously happening!" I said as I kept double checking the start date for University of South Dakota's law school. There is no way, Leadville is August 15, with classes starting the 17th and mandatory orientation August 11-14th. And here I thought I would go into Leadville with no real stress, no brain injury, no broken bikes, just smooth sailing to close out this chapter of my life. Every argument against USD has been trumped by it being so cheap, and Kara lives really close so if I need to take a hiatus she has a whole house for me. Except for this - this has certainly thrown a wrench in it. I know the logical thing for most people would to be just miss Leadville this year and hope to do it later. I can't give it up though, I'm so close and so committed. Six months ago this might have been a different story, one where I would be traveling around passing the time till law school not thinking about Leadville, but here I see the finish line. I've tried to figure out the best option but I can't seem to end up with one where I win at both.

45 miles in the rain, I'm clearly enthralled.

I was contemplating this all the other day at work, wondering out loud what I would be like on the first day of class coming straight from racing Leadville, someone pointed out I would be the fittest one there. I'm going to be at USD this coming Thursday, Sully and I are heading to Chicago for a gravel grinder (60 miles on gravel) and stopping there on the way to check it out. I have set an email to explain my unique position and to talk to someone about options when I'm there- I'm hopeful but have some trepidation about it. My dad will be visiting there with me and my mom told me to take him to the meeting. I said I wasn't sure if he would see my argument for how much I want to do Leadville this year and might not understand why I can't just go to law school. She laughed and said that as a lawyer you often have no idea why your client decides something but you still argue for them. If it all works out it will end up being a funny story, but it's not there yet. I have thought about just going to another law school, some have given me enough money that it's not the same but close to USD but then I weigh practicing in SD and this makes the most sense. To have the entire network there and to know most of the lawyers in the state by the time you graduate is invaluable. I know what you're thinking because I'm thinking it too, it seems so silly to think about going to another school because of a race.

Finally got the WBR kit!

It's not just racing Leadville though, I'm really excited about being on World Bicycle Relief this year and want to see that commitment through. Why I want to go to law school stems from the same reason as wanting to be a part of WBR. We'll see what happens, and I'm sure I'll keep you posted. I know that this seems like such an insignificant problem to have and really I should be grateful to be in this position, right?

I have the Gravel Metric this weekend, which is a more casual 60 mile gravel ride and not so much a race. You just email this guy, pay $15, show up and he gives you a handkerchief with the directions on it, so that should be interesting. The weekend after I'm doing the Grand Junction Off Road, which is 40 miles on trail. I'm excited for the GJ Off Road to see how much I've improved in a month (since the Whiskey 50). There isn't too much to do until I figure out what the plan of attack is for everything, except keep riding my bike- and drinking coffee.

Right now I seem to have a lot of anxiety about the law school dilemma; I can't figure out, like most women, how to have it all.


*Disclaimer: I'm sorry if this comes off as I'm an ungrateful brat who should just be happy that I have all the opportunities I do.